---
layout: docs
page_title: Domain Model - Auth Methods
description: |-
  The anatomy of a Boundary auth method
---

# Auth Methods

An auth method is a resource that provides a mechanism for [users][] to
authenticate to Boundary. An auth method contains [accounts][] which link an
individual user to a set of credentials and [managed groups][] which groups
[accounts][] that satisfy criteria and can be used as principals in [roles][].
Auth methods can be defined at either a [Global][] or [Organization][]
[scope][].

## Attributes

All auth methods have the following configurable attributes:

- `name` - (optional)
  If set, the `name` must be unique within the auth method's scope.

- `description` - (optional)

### Password Auth Method Attributes

The password auth method has the following additional attributes:

- `min_login_name_length` - (required) The default is 3.

- `min_password_length` - (required) The default is 8.

## Referenced By

- [Account][]
- [Global][]
- [Managed Group][]
- [Organization][]

[account]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/accounts
[accounts]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/accounts
[global]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/scopes#global
[managed group]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/managed-groups
[managed groups]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/managed-groups
[organization]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/scopes#organizations
[roles]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/roles
[scope]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/scopes
[users]: /boundary/docs/concepts/domain-model/users

## Service API Docs

The following services are relevant to this resource:

- [Auth Method Service](/boundary/api-docs/auth-method-service)
- [Auth Token Service](/boundary/api-docs/auth-token-service)
